Individuals

We recently conducted research which showed that messages about the areas highlighted below are most likely to be effective in persuading people to support the cause.

Make sure you explain exactly how and why your work benefits the local community. Where appropriate, use specific examples, statistics and quotes from people involved. If you can, use multimedia content like photos or videos.

Education

Do you work with local schools or youth organisations? Do you run activities for young people?

Economy

Have you created jobs, fostered talent, or driven trade to local shops, bars and restaurants? Do you attract tourists or have you produced work to tour internationally?

Health and wellbeing

Do you run activities for people with dementia or other conditions?

Society

Do you run workshops or other projects for local people? Has your local area improved as a result of your work?

Local and national politicians are the key decision-makers on public funding. With the Government committed to public spending reductions over the next five years, it’s vital that we make the case for continued investment in art and culture.

You can find out about an MP’s individual interests on They Work For You, so you can create a tailored story that will be particularly appealing to them. It’s best to contact your MP via their constituency office (rather than Westminster). You can usually find the details on their personal website.

You could write to them about your work (using the messages from the previous section), invite them to see your studio or workspace, ask for a meeting, or just write to express your support for a local arts or culture organisation. Use the template letter below to help you.

Downloads

MP letter template

The media can be a powerful tool in communicating with all audiences – the public, national and local politicians and others.

You don’t have to create special releases to make the case for art and culture funding – you can incorporate the messages into stories about your work. Have a look at our sample press release to see how. We also have more general advice on what makes a good news story.

Make sure to tailor your story to the interests of the media outlet. Local newspapers are more likely to be interested in stories that directly affect or involve local people. If it’s an industry publication, they may be more interested in how the story relates to wider debates in their sector. National media outlets will want to know how your story ties into issues affecting the whole country. Keeping a record of your contacts and their interests will enable you to approach the right person with the right story.

Letters to editors from your supporters - participants, friends and volunteers - can also keep your story in the news and show the media that readers are interested in your organisation.